Articulated structure for soil protection and reinforcement

ABSTRACT

Disclosed is a structure as a ‘blanket’ constituted by blocks preferably of concrete linked (in orthogonal directions) through chords, wires, strings made of materials resistant to strengths, and the chemical environment wherein it is placed, all in order to resist hydraulic actions. The blocks basically constitute a body formed by two truncated-conic linked by their bases and located (bonded) one beside the other in a same plane, allowing the blanket to intimately adapt to the shape of the underlying surface. This layout allows the blankets to pile up one upon the other, since the block hemi-bodies fit in the empty spaces of the blankets. This geometrical advantage allows the distribution of hydraulic forces in the three directions of space, where de layers behave as a sole flexible structure. This latter aspect is the fundamental innovation (vertical fitting), like the block geometry, with disposition thereof upon a resistant mesh (articulations).

The present invention consists of an articulated structure for soil protection and reinforcement, and it is designed to protect all types of soils, rip-rap and/or structures exposed to hydraulic actions, avoiding or diminishing possible erosion processes by the action of water currents and waves.

Furthermore, it can be used as an articulated pavement, by the transfer and distribution of vehicle-induced loads to the linkage mesh and to the sub-layered surface.

The possible applications are channel banks erosion control, irrigation canal linings, use as sub base in highway pavements, foundation and protection of pipelines, shoreline protection, erosion control at bridge abutments, protection downstream of drop structures, retaining walls, reinforcement of soils, etc.

A precise description is introduced in the following paragraphs, with the aim of explaining its practical usefulness in one of the preferred embodiments. The attached drawings and sketches are introduced to facilitate the understanding of technical features, but they are only used as illustrative examples and the layouts are not limited just to the cases presented. Several equivalent layouts can be designed from the general principles outlined in this application.

BACKGROUND ART

The inventors have studied several documents referred to the state-of-the-art. Among them, the invention patent number AR 006677A1 can be cited. It is referred to polyhedral-shaped concrete blocks for the protection of sea shorelines and fluvial stream-banks. Document # AR 036240A4 deals with an erosion control cover for structures such as rip-rap, breakwaves, dykes, etc. which is used in combination with a synthetic filter (geotextil) and several over-impossed units, composed of a prismatic body of hexagonal section.

Document number AR00235878 is referred to a badge body to cover sloped surfaces on beaches, coastal lines, riverbanks and canal margins. The revetment is composed by a cluster of weighted bodies (relatively thick), which are shaped and located one close to the other. Patent # AR00243252 deals with a screen-shaped block for the protection of coastal and riverbank works. It is composed by a central nucleus of cubic shape with two lateral opposed faces with T-shaped pods, in which three blocks are inter-fitted.

Document # US2004086344 is referred to a protection blanket for exposed soils, composed by concrete blocks embedded on a flexible geogrid.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,722,795 is referred to a flexible structure for protecting submarine installations, formed by precast concrete blocks which have embedded nylon connectors in both directions. A flexible chord is threaded among them in order to generate a flexible and soft cover.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,416,253 shows a flexible mattress structure for the protection of underwater maritime installations. It's formed by precast concrete cells, which are connected themselves by means of passing perpendicular central holes. The cells have such holes in both faces and in different horizontal plans and the cables are threaded through them in both directions. The concrete blocks have a covering pillow in one of their faces in order to avoid potential damage to the underwater structures.

Document # CA1129218 is referred to a type of flexible device for erosion control in soils exposed to flow and wave action. It is composed by identical concrete blocks forming rectangular sections which are laid on the eroded surface. The blocks are laid with a filter membrane in the interface cover-soil, and they are stabilized by means of a central cable embedded in each block.

Document # CA1141554 deals with a precast grid with a reinforcement filtering membrane. The grid is materialized by means of rectangular blocks of conical base, which are linked through cables.

Document # CA1233329 is referred to a device for erosion control, which is composed by a network of concrete nodules connected by a flexible chord to form a mat, which is fitted to the morphology of the adjacent terrain.

Patent # DE19719914 is referred to a concrete element with reinforced steel which is linked to the adjacent elements by means of metal rings fixed on the corners of each element. The final structure achieves the form of a rug which acts as an effective wave-breaking device.

Patent # DE3200184 deals with precast concrete blocks which are assembled in rows through plastic or metal cables. It can be used in pavements and also in hydraulic works.

Document # DE3212411 is related to a permeable rock layer to stabilize marine beds. It is composed by concrete blocks which are arranged in such a manner of creating a permeable carpet. The blocks are connected by stainless steel cables, and the distance among them is used to promote biological growth between them. The geometry of the block arrangement is rectangular and the superior face is over-elevated with a cylindrical shape, in an alternated position with regard to the following row.

Patent # DE4021220 is referred to a system to protect riverbanks, beaches and dunes. It is composed by concrete blocks which have grooves or sockets between blocks to generate a mat. The blocks are assembled on secure ground and then (after the linking of then with galvanized steel cables) are transported by adequate machinery for the instalation under-water site.

Patent # RO100505 is related with a precast element with a flexible mattress shape, built with plates fabricated in concrete. The plates are themselves linked by metallic bars and they are used to protect navigation canals.

Document # U.S. Pat. No. 5,484,230 is referred to a system of concrete blocks for erosion control. The individual blocks are sized and shaped in order to interconnect them by means of a cable to form a rug and allow the growth of vegetation.

Patent # MXPA02010804 is referred to concrete blocks with a cell structure, assembled in such a manner of allowing the articulation with submarine structures. They have perpendicular orifices in different horizontal planes through which the linking cables are inserted. Its main characteristic is the possibility of vertical growth, by means of a vertical bar along the central perforation of the block with the middle part as the contact point.

Document # DE 0156188 is referred to a covering mat which can be converted into a frame. It is composed by a close bar, a wharf and a fixing device to stabilize the mechanism.

Patent JP 2000110472 deals with a mechanism of internal closing composed by a rotational arm within a determined fixed angle and a receptor of the arm that includes a slot. The external wall face provides energy to the arm in order of impulse it towards a top, with the possibility of rotating in order of linking the arm during the closing action.

The diversity of objects as well as the construction devices allows estimating that the previous descriptions are not antecedents of the subject proposed herein.

Finally, the following patents (which are not antecedents) were also analyzed: U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,846,023, 5,944,449, 3,786,640, 4,375,928, 5,108,222, 659,292, 4,372,705, JP60003309, JP60016607, JP60026706, JP60043514, JP60080612, JP60203713, JP60246910, NL1004984C, NL8302330, NL8302372, EP0206437, GB 1472486, CA1172053, W08602680, CN1560377.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

With regard to the attached figures,

FIG. 1 sketches a perspective view in which the different pieces are observed.

FIG. 2 shows a lateral partial view and

FIG. 3 shows a sketch of the partial top view of the structure.

FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of a block,

FIG. 5 sketches a perspective view of a surface block.

FIG. 6 sketches a section view corresponding to a first use situation,

FIG. 7 shows a second use condition, and

FIG. 8 shows a section view of a third situation of application.

In the previous figures the reference characters indicate equal or corresponding parts. The number 1 stands for one block, number 2 is a connecting element and number 3 is a surface block. Letters are: a: an orifice; g: a granular fill; i: inter-block space; p: pavement fill; and: s: spill or substrate.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION Disclosure

The articulated structure for soil protection and reinforcement is formed by blocks or resistant bodies, of polyhedral cylindrical and/or truncated-conic volumes, linked among them in two directions (orthogonal or oblique) in a same plane, by means of connecting resistant cables, chords or wires. These are designed to link the blocks in an articulated way in order to produce a flexible structure. Taking into account its geometrical design, this structure can be laid on the surfaces to protect same in a unique layer or in several over-imposed layers. The layout can take a shape according to the morphology of the surface to be protected.

After the description of the invention and its different components, the functional operability of its parts and the potential results are explained as follows.

With the aim of obtaining an articulated structure of surface development for soil protection, resistant blocks or bodies are provided (1 and/or 3). Blocks are of polyhedrical cylindrical and/or truncated-conic volumes, linked among them in two directions (orthogonal or oblique) in a same plane, by means of connecting resistant cables, chords or wires (2). These are designed to link the blocks (1 and/or 3) in an articulated fashion in order to produce a flexible structure (FIG. 1). Taking into account its geometrical design, this structure can be laid on the surfaces to be protected in a unique layer or in several over-imposed layers. The layout can take a shape according to the morphology of the surface to be protected (FIGS. 6, 7, and 8).

The articulated structure presented in this invention has the feature that it can be used in hydraulic and highway engineering applications. For soil protection uses, the structure is layered in such a manner that each layer fits perfectly and lies on the other, given the property of the block bodies (1 and/or 3) contained on the top layer, which are fitted on the inter-block spaces (i) of the elements which form the top face of the inferior layer.

The physical contacts of the blocks belonging to a superior layer with the blocks of the inferior layer form a coherent bond between layers, in such a manner that the forces are partially transferred from one to the other. In the case of using this structure for soil reinforcement and/or sub-aquatic structures, the inter-space (i) in layers generate perfectly delimited chambers, in which the hydraulic flow velocity coming from the superior layer, diminishes. The particular design of the articulated structure shows a high value of permeability and good hydraulic transmissibility.

The articulated structure located on a layer of granular soil and/or plastic soil-cement, and/or directly over the sub-layer (and filling the inter-block spaces -i- with a resistant material) can admit vehicle transit, by transferring to the substrate -s- the vertical and horizontal efforts through the blocks and the fill to the resistant mesh (2). The fill materials (i) in order to achieve a rolling surface can be composed by granular soils (g) or asphalt mixtures (p), or other material resistant to rolling loads.

Blocks (1) of the articulated structure can show both bodies (inferior and superior) of truncated-conic shape (FIG. 4) or the superior body can have a truncated-pyramidal shape (-3-) (FIG. 5). The first one is suitable to adequately fit on the substrate (-s-) and the second one is recommended for highway engineering applications. This type of pavement can be located in layers, with or without granular soil fills (-g-) and/or asphalt materials (-p-) and/or plastic soil-cement mixtures between layers (FIGS. 6, 7 and 8).

In this manner, one of the construction possibilities has been briefly described, and the technical features of the invention have been outlined. 

1-6. (canceled)
 7. Articulated multilayer structure for the protection and reinforcement of soils, formed by blocks or monolithic bodies of polyhedric truncated-cones with cylindrical shape, which are linked themselves in two orthogonal directions on the same plane. The linking devices are resistant cables, chords or connection wires, which are designed to serve as articulations and link the blocks to create a flexible structure. This structure, taking into account its geometric design, can be placed on the surface to be protected in several over-imposed layers. Consecutive layers are shifted each other such that the base of each truncated-cone of a flexible layer is placed in the remaining voids, between the cones, of its immediately lower layer. The physical contacts between the blocks of each repeated layer form an interlocked device which transfer and distribute the acting forces and loads. Lateral forces in this multilayer articulated mat is supported partially by friction and partially by the interlocking between successive layers.
 8. A structure according to claim 7 which is formed by monolythic blocks of precast concrete, in which its shape is composed by an upper volume and a lower volume which can be configured by different arrangements that serve as filter for granular materials.
 9. Multilayer structure according to claim 7 formed by monolythic blocks with perpendicular or oblique perforations on the same plane, linked between them. Each layer is additionally connected to the next upper and lower layer by the interlocking between blocks.
 10. Structure according to claim 7 formed by more than one layer of blocks linked by wired elements forming a flexible mat.
 11. Structure according to claim 7 which can be located on the sides or on the top of the surfaces, where the cover finally adopts the form according to the morphology of the surface.
 12. Structure according to claim 7 which can be stacked in several layers, by distributing the loads in such a way that the vertical forces are taken by the blocks and the substrate, while the lateral forces are transmitted by the friction and interlocking between consecutive layers of linked blocks.
 13. Multilayer structure according to claim 8 formed by monolythic blocks with perpendicular or oblique perforations on the same plane, linked between them. Each layer is additionally connected to the next upper and lower layer by the interlocking between blocks.
 14. Structure according to claim 8 formed by more than one layer of blocks linked by wired elements forming a flexible mat.
 15. Structure according to claim 9 formed by more than one layer of blocks linked by wired elements forming a flexible mat.
 16. Structure according to claim 8 which can be located on the sides or on the top of the surfaces, where the cover finally adopts the form according to the morphology of the surface.
 17. Structure according to claim 9 which can be located on the sides or on the top of the surfaces, where the cover finally adopts the form according to the morphology of the surface.
 18. Structure according to claim 10 which can be located on the sides or on the top of the surfaces, where the cover finally adopts the form according to the morphology of the surface.
 19. Structure according to claim 8 which can be stacked in several layers, by distributing the loads in such a way that the vertical forces are taken by the blocks and the substrate, while the lateral forces are transmitted by the friction and interlocking between consecutive layers of linked blocks.
 20. Structure according to claim 9 which can be stacked in several layers, by distributing the loads in such a way that the vertical forces are taken by the blocks and the substrate, while the lateral forces are transmitted by the friction and interlocking between consecutive layers of linked blocks.
 21. Structure according to claim 10 which can be stacked in several layers, by distributing the loads in such a way that the vertical forces are taken by the blocks and the substrate, while the lateral forces are transmitted by the friction and interlocking between consecutive layers of linked blocks.
 22. Structure according to claim 11 which can be stacked in several layers, by distributing the loads in such a way that the vertical forces are taken by the blocks and the substrate, while the lateral forces are transmitted by the friction and interlocking between consecutive layers of linked blocks. 